Modernist Magazines and Digital Humanities

    In the December 1911 issue of The Windsor Magazine is an advertisement for a ‘A Real Lever Simulation GOLD WATCH FREE.” The ad copy uses the strategy of appealing to the consumer’s notions about himself, and perhaps about his own lifestyle, rather than promoting the quality of the product itself. Along a similar line of thought, the ad is addressed to “all clever readers” of the magazine. There is a sense of urgency in the advertisement, hinting to the consumer that this offer needs to be acted upon immediately. This sense is given through the use of bold text interspersed with the regular text, more so than in other ads, and the bold text is placed so that the words that appear most prominently convey the idea of receiving a free gold watch--the fact that is imitation gold is not emphasized, of course. The suggestion within the ad that the one stipulation if you generously receive the free gold watch is that you must “promise to show your friends, as we wish to advertise our goods,” is a way of saying “This ad is not an ad,” and assumes that the customer is naïve when it comes to advertising.  However, the company’s name is not at all largely printed. It is only included at the bottom of the advertisement, not set off much from the rest of the print, which cleverly makes it seem as though the ad really is only something like a public service announcement.
    Looking through Windsor Magazine, other ads (of which there are many) make efforts to appeal to the consumer in a similar way--by referring to the buyer as a lady or gentleman, with the implication of refinement, or by hinting that the customer surely is ‘in on’ such an exclusive product. For example, a company can provide you with sheet-music for “almost any piece you care to name,” implying knowledge of music; another ad for a steel cabinet addresses the businessman directly with the word ‘you’ and says that “no businessman can afford to run such a risk” of not having such a cabinet and losing documents in a fire. Other ads leave the consumer out of the ad copy entirely, simply stating the virtues of the product. It appears, though, that most include the potential buyer and his thoughts about himself.